Startup Recovery Boot Loop

Hi Guys, Had some great help here a few years ago and I have no idea if this latest problem is a simple fix or not. Tried the usual google stuff and at the minute I cant tell if this is a hardware issue or Virus. I have been seeing pop ups for a couple of weeks but they havent been picked up on the usual virus scanners. The problem occured when the power cable came out of the laptop immediately after booting. When I try to start up now it just goes into a constant cycle of trying to boot and then going to the intital screen when you press the on button. I cant boot in safe mode as it won't let me. Neither can I boot to the last configuration. I have had the following error message on one occasion. Stop:0x000000F4 (0X00000003, 0X83FFB020, 0X83FFB16C, 0X812AA4B0) I'm a bit stumped here so any assitance is appreciated. Cheers Windows Vista 32bit

Most likely a corrupted file system. You need to run chkdsk /r from the Vista Recovery Console to correct it, see if that helps.

• Boot your Vista or Windows 7 installation DVD
• When you see "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", press Enter
• At the "Install Windows" screen, click on Repair your computer at lower left
• At the System Recovery Options screen, make note of the drive letter assigned to your boot drive (normally C:) and click Next
• At the Chose a Recovery Tool window, click on Command Prompt. You will be sitting at X:\Sources directory
• Run chkdsk or SFC
• If you did not note the drive letter of your boot disk, you can enter bcdedit and look at the osdevice line to see what it is.
• For chkdsk, type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter (use the letter from above if not C:).
• For sfc, type sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows and press Enter (use the letter from above)

Let either run to completion undisturbed.

If you do not have a Windows Vista installation DVD, you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here:

Download Official Windows Vista RTM with SP1 Setup Files (32-bit and 64-bit).

Only Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 (X64 or X86) download is available, but if, during the install, you do not enter the product key
when initially prompted for it (which you must have to use the download), then you will be prompted to select the version of Vista you
want to install. You can activate once the install is done.

You do need a valid installation key, which should be on the COA sticker on the computer, to activate the installation.

Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Ultimate

Downloaded the Vista X64 or X86 files.

X64:
install.wim
boot.wim
X14-63453.exe

X86:
install.wim
boot.wim
X14-63452.exe

Double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe. It extractes all the files into a Vista sub-folder.

Downloaded Windows Bootable Image Creator zip then extract the files to a folder:

Open the folder and run WBICreator.exe
Click Next
Select OS Type: Windows Vista
CD/DVD Label: VistaX64 or VistaX86
Setup Location: The Vista folder created when you double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe.
Output Path: Somewhere with enough free space to hold the .iso file that will be created (X64 = 3,837,112KB, X86 = 3,013,816KB).
Click GO.

When done a VistaX64.iso or VistaX86.iso file will be created in the Output Path you chose.

You can use the .iso as input to a burner program like ImgBurn to create a Vista Install DVD, or you can use it as Input to
Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3 to create a Vista install flash drive.

Remember to use the X64 or X86 version of Vista you currently have.

I agree with Rich but… I am also concerned this happened when the power cable "came out". Nothing should have happened! The notebook should have kept running on battery without skipping a beat. How did the cable come out? Is the power connector in the notebook damaged? Was the battery installed? Is the battery good?

Hi Guys,

I'll answer Digerati first.

The laptop is more than 5 years old and in daily use so the power cable can come out quite easily. In addition the battery was low at the time hence the reason for it switching itself off.

Ztrucker
Tried to boot from the installation DVD but it's not working. It acts like it will and the installing windows files bar appears at the bottom. When that finishes it then tries to boot as normal so the green moving bar usually seen when booting Vista. After that, nothing. Just a black screen with a larger than usual mouse pointer in the middle (like you would expect to see in safe mode). I cannot boot in safe mode either. Actually it has loaded the disc while I type this message.

It isnt showing an operating system under the System Recovery Options and when I go to load drivers it asks for the installation media and then to select the driver (see last pics). I have no idea if this is the reinstallion DVD. I cannot locate the drivers DVD (are they actually on the reinstallation DVD?) and wouldn't know which to use.

On another note.

Today I have run the diagnostics from the boot menu. Also checked the hard drive individually. It failed a number of tests and different codes were advised of. I have taken photos of each and these are atatched. The first one with the blue screen wass after the problem first happened. I'm not sure if these mean anything to you clued up guys but they dont to me. I have googled a few of the error codes and they point to a hard drive problem.

Any ideas where I can go next?

Thanks
http://imageshack.us/g/1/10277586/

Did you try using bcdedit as I mentioned from the Recovery Console to identify the boot drive? If you can get that then run chkdsk as described, see if that corrects any file system errors. If you can't do that then I'm afraid the drive is dead and needs to be replaced. I hope your important data is backed up.